Grant To Help Transfer Students Earn Associate’s Degrees

A $500,000 “reverse transfer” grant will make it possible for the state to award associate’s degrees to qualifying Arkansas students who have transferred from community colleges to four-year universities.

The grant was made by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Helios Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Lumina Foundation, and USA Funds. It was made to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges. It is part of a $6.4 million initiative across multiple states, “Credit When It’s Due: Recognizing the Value of the Quality Associate Degree.”

According to an ADHE press release, the grant will enable the state to create a structure for “reverse transfers.” That’s where associate degrees can be awarded to transfer students when they complete the required numbers of hours even as they pursue a bachelor’s degree. Students would always have that achievement on their record regardless of what happens during the rest of their educational careers.

Appropriate legislation and college and university policies have existed to create an automatic statewide reverse transfer system, but the state has lacked the necessary software and training. The grant will enable the state to develop a web-based tracking system, implement rules and guidelines, train faculty and staff members in reverse transfers, and promote reverse transfers to students.

The software will identify students who have transferred to four-year institutions before earning associate’s degrees and will notify institutions when those students have earned 60 associate degree hours. The degree will be awarded by the two-year college or four-year institution from which the student has earned the most hours.